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King David’s Sin 



(Copyright ^014 by L. E. Amd.) 


ARRANGED BY 

REV. L. E. AMES 

Member of Tiro Lodge, No. 688 
I. O. O. F. 

TIRO, OHIO 












FEB 19 1914 


§>C!.D .36094 

A-o / 


KING DAVID’S SIN 


ACT I. DAVID ANOINTED. 

(Enter Samuel, the prophet. Speaking to himself.) why need I fear 
the anger of King Saul in this matter? Hath not God appointeth unto 
me this mission and declared me, Samuel, son of Elkanah, his prophet? 
Did he not say unto me, “Fill thine horn with oil, and go to Jesse the 
Bethlehem-ite; for I have provided me a king among his sons?” There¬ 
fore am I come to the hous e of Jesse. I am even now at the door. 

(Knocks at door of clothes room. Jesse answers the summons.) 

JESSE. Who art thou? 

PROPHET, i am Samuel, the prophet. Peace be to thee and to thy 
household. 

JESSE, (trembling with fear.) What. Samuel, prophet in Israel and 
greater than kings. Why comest thou hither? 

SAMUEL. I come in peace to anoint with oil the future king of Isra¬ 
el. Behold God hath Said to me, “Fill thine horn with oil, and go to Jesse 
the Bethlehem-ite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.” 

JESSE, (surprise.) A king among my sons. It cannot be. We are 
but a humble family. Surely it cannot be. 

SAMUEL. It is even so for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Oh 
Jesse, most honored of all Israel’s fathers, make haste, sanctify thyself 
and thy sons, and cause them to stand before me. (Exit Jesse and 
Samuel retreats to altar in center of floor.) (Re-enter Jesse conduct¬ 
ing Eliab whom he introduces to Samuel.) 

JESSE. Eliab, my first-born. 

SAMUEL, (gazing at Eliab.) Surely the Lord’s anounted is before 
me. But (on second thought and to himself) I dare not judge by his 
countenance or by the height of his stature: for the Lord seeth not as 
man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord 
looketh on the heart. (To Jesse.) The Lord hath not chosen this. 
(Eliab takes stand behind Samuel, while Jesse returns and conducts 
Abinadab.) 

, ;* - *i 

JESSE, (to Samuel.) Abinadab. 

SAMUEL. Neither hath the Lord chosen this. (Adab takes stand 
with Eliab while Jesse returns and brings Shammah.) 

JESSE. Shammah. 

SAMUEL. Neither hath the Lord chosen this. (Shammah stands with 
Eliab, while Jesse brings Nethaneel, Raddai and Ozem whom he intro¬ 
duces by name.) 

SAMUEL. The Lord hath not chosen these. (They take stand with 
other brothers behind prophet and Samuel speaks to Jesse.) 

SAMUEL. (Surprised and disappointed.) Are here all thy children? 

JESSE. There remaineth yet the youngest and, behold, he keepeth 
the sheep. 

SAMUEL. Send and fetch him: For we will not sit down till he 
come hither. 


( 2 ) 


(Jesse summons David and D. enters in shepherd’s garb, running 
and kneels to Jesse.) Thy blessing, my father. (Rising.) Peace bo 
with thee, stranger. (To Jesse.) Dids’t thou call me father? 

JESSE. The Lord hath commissioned Samuel to anoint thee king ov¬ 
er Israel, my son, David. 

DAVID, (starting back in amazement.) It cannot be, my father. I 
am no prince, but only a shepherd lad. (Kneeling to Samuel.) And 
who am I that 1 should stand before Samuel, the prophet? 

SAMUEL. Behold, the voice of the Lord doth say to me, “Arise, anoint 
him: for this is he.” (Samuel anoints David and continues speaking.) 
Cod hath chosen thee and I have anointed thee king over Israel, and 
it shall surely come to pass. Keep thy heart with all diligence, be thou 
circumspect in all thy doings, and upright in all thy ways that the 
Lord may have thee and approve thee in honor, in wisdom, in chastity 
and in love. 

(Exit Samuel to ante-room. Jesse lifts David to feet and conducts him 
to clothes-room while the other brothers follow dejectedly and shame¬ 
facedly.) 

SAMUEL. (Departing.) i go. Peace be with thee, Jesse; with thy 
sons and with all thy house. 

ACT II. DAVID—THE GOOD KING. 

(Plerald enters from ante-room, proceeds to center of floor and ad¬ 
dresses assemblage.) 

HERALD. Behold, th e king cometh. O ye men of Israel, prepare to 
receive your king. (Enter king, attended by guards and followed by 
retinue. Proceeds to throne where all assume their positions. All stand¬ 
ing. Herald from middle of floor addresses king.) 

HERALD. Most amiable and gracious king, the anointed of the Lord, 
how excellent is thy name and how great is thy fame among all the 
people. 

GUARDS and RETINUE. Hail to the king of Israel. 

HERALD, o king, upright in character, devoted in worship, just in all 
thy judgments, we greet thee. 

GLTARDS and RETINUE. Hail to the king of Israel. 

HERALD. O king, slayer of Goliath, Saviour of Israel, conqueror of 
all our enemies, victorious in all thy battles,—Philistia, Moab and Sy¬ 
ria, so long thorns in the flesh of thy people, trouble us no more: We 
praise thee. 

GUARDS and RETINITE. Hail to the king of Israel. 

HERALD, GUARDS and RETINUE. (Kneeling). All hail to David, 
king of Israel. (All sit in their positions.) 

HERALD. Hear ye. Hear ye. By direction of his imperial majesty, 
David, king of Israel, i declare the king’s court now opened. All who 
must needs commune with him, draw nigh and he will hear thee. 

DAVID. Most eminent counselor, i would speak with thee. 

COUNSELOR. (Saluting.) I am at thy service. O king. 

DAVID, is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I 
may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 



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COUNSELOR. There is a servant of the house of Saul whose name 
is Ziba. He may be able to inform thee. 

DAVID. I will enquire of him. Herald, bring Ziba unto the king. 

HERALD. (Saluting), I will, O king. (Exit Herald to ante-room. En¬ 
ter Herald and Ziba. Ziba kneels at center of floor.) 

DAVID. Who art thou? 

ZIBA. I am Ziba, servant of the house of Saul. 

DAVID. Rise up and stand before me. (Ziba approaches king.) is 
there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of 
God unto him? 

ZIBA. Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. 

DAVID. Where is he? 

ZIBA. Beheld he is in the house of Macher, the son of Ammiel, in 
Lodebar. 

DAVID. Ziba, conduct my counsellor and two of my guards to the 
house of Machir, son of Ammiel in Lodebar and bring Jonathan’s son 
unto the king. 

(Exit Ziba, counsellor and guards to clothes-room.) 

HERALD, (at ante-room door his station.) Nathan, prophet in Israel, 
comes to visit the king. 

DAVID. Usher Nathan, the prophet, into the presence of the king. 
(Herald admits Nathan, conducts him to center of floor. David descends 
throne to meet Nathan, and kneels a s prophet approaches.) 

NATHAN. Arise most noble David, ascend thy throne, and resume thy 
position. (David dees so.) O king, God hath honored thee above all 
men, for theu hast proven thyself a man after his own heart. Thine en¬ 
emies have vanished before thine approach as darkness fleeth before the 
light, or as th e clouds disappear in the heavens. The boundaries of 
thy kingdom have been extended to the Euphrates river on the east and 
to the great sea on the west, the lands of thine enemies hath become 
thine own and many nations pay tribute unto thee. God hath approv¬ 
ed thee and established thee on thy throne and made thy name great 
in all the world. For the sincerity of thy worship of Jehovah, for the 
uprightness of thy character—a good example unto thy people—and for 
the wisdom and justice of thy dealings with men, both heaven and 
earth commend thee. 

(Enter Ziba, counsellor, guards and Mephibosheth from clothes-room. 
Advance to center of iloor and counsellor speaks.) 

COUNSELLOR. O king, we bring to thee Mephibosheth, son of Jona¬ 
than. (Mephibosheth kneels.) 

DAVID. Mephibosheth. 

MEPHIBOSHETH. Eehold thy servant. 

DAVID. Fear not: for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan 
thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father: 
and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 

MEPHIBOSHETH. What is thy servant, that thou shoulds’t look up¬ 
on such a dead dog as I am? 

DAVID. Ziba. 





(4) 


ZIBA. Thy servant heareth, O king. 

DAVID, i have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul 
and to all his house. Thou therefore and thy sons and thy servants, 
shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that 
thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibcsheth shall eat 
bread always at my table. 

ZIBA. It shall be as thou hast said, O king. (David descends throne, 
lifts Mephibosheth to his feet, and taking Mephibosheth’s hand 
lays other hand on Mephibosheth’s shoulder and speaks.) 

DAVID. As I loved thy father Jonathan, so I will love thee. (Na¬ 
than approaches, lays one hand on David’s shoulder, other on Mephi¬ 
bosheth’s head and speaks.) 

NATHAN. Mephibosheth, my son, prove thyself worthy of the favor of 
one whom all men delight to honor, and preserve in honor and in up¬ 
rightness the name of Jonathan thy father before all the people. And 
may this friendship between thee two, be even as was that pledge 
which knit together in brotherhood the souls of Jonathan, the Prince, and 
David, the Lord’s anointed. 

DAVID, (to counsellor.) Array hi m as a Prince in Israel and con¬ 
duct him to my house. 

(Exit Counsellor, Ziba, Mephibosheth to clothes-room.) 

NATHAN, (to David.) I too must needs go. May heaven bless thee 
and prosper thee, O David. 

DAVID. Peace be with thee, O Nathan. Farewell. 

(Exit Nathan to ante-room. David ascends throne.) 

DAVID. Herald, the king’s court is adjourned. Perform the duty of 
your office. 

HERALD. Ho, ye men of Israel. The king cometh this way. Make 
Make ready to receive your king. 

(Exit David and attendants to ante-room.) 

ACT III. DAVID’S SIN. PART I. 

(Enter right and left supporters to David from ante-room. Approach 
throne from opposite sides. Right S. arrives at throne ahead of Left S. 
who walks slowly and dejectedly.) 

RIGHT SUPPORTER. Why art thou so sad of countenance and so 
heavy of heart, noble sir? 

LEFT S. The king of Israel hath sinned grievously. 

RIGHT S. How hath the king sinned? 

LEFT S. He hath committed adultery with Bathsheta the wife of Uri¬ 
ah, the Hittite. 

RIGHT S. Consider well what thou sayest. How knowest thou this 
thing? (Above spoken fiercely.) 

LEFT S. Is she not even now with David in the king’s house? 

RIGHT S. Alas, the king hath sinned. Woe is Israel. Him whom God 
hath exalted to heaven hath in are evil hour cast himself down to hell. 
Doubly grievous is the sin of a righteous man; and how terrible is the 



__ _ _ ( 5 ) 

' falTof him whom the Lord hath lifted to high plac e s. (Enter Herald 
who advances to center of floor and speaks.) 

HERALD. Behold the king cometh. o ye men of Israel, prepare to 
receive your king. 

(Enter king and attendants, proceed to throne wher e all stand at 
their respective stations. Herald and attendants kneel.) 

HERALD and ATTENDANTS. All hail to David, king of Israel. 

(All rise and sit in their positions.) 

DAVID. (Speaking to himself.) Uriah is a man of noble spirit, a 
mighty man of war, and a faithful servant unto me. I have wronged 
hirm—blit who shall stand between the king and his desire? Besides, i 
have started in this affair; I cannot now turn back; I must proceed to 
the end of it. I will send this note to Joab. “Set ye Uriah in the fore¬ 
front of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be 
smitten, and die.” (To messenger.) Let my messenger stand before me. 

MESSENGER. Eehold thy servant, o king. 

DA\ ID. Doth not Joab command my army at the seige of Rabbah? 

MESSENGER. It is as thou sayest. 

DAVID. Convey this message to him in haste. Remain with him un¬ 
til the battle is ended and bear to me Joab’s report. 

(Exit messenger.) 

DAVID. Let my harper come before me and play me music upon his 
harp. 

(Musician kneels before David and plays upon instrument.) 

(Enter messenger. Advances, kneels before king and speaks.) 

MESSENGER. A message for thee from Joab, O king. 

DAVID. Bring it to me. (he reads.) “Surely the men prevailed against 
us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even 
to the centering of the gate. And the shooters shot from off the wall 
upon thy servants; and some of the kings servants be dead, and thy ser¬ 
vant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” (To himself.) it is well. No ob¬ 
stacle now stands between me and the object upon which I have set 
my heart. (To messenger.) Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, let not 
this thing displease thee; make thy battle more strong against the city 
and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 

(Exit messenger.) (Knocking on door. Herald responds.) 

HERALD. Nathan, prcpb e t in Israel, desires tc commune with the 
king. 

DAVID, (sullenly.) Bring him before the king. 

(Nathan enters and stands before David who remains seated.) 

NATHAN. There were two men in one city; the one rich and the oth¬ 
er poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; but the 
poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought 
and nourished up, and it grew up together with him, and with his 
children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and 
lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a 
traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take ol his own flock and 
of his own herd, to dress for the way-faring man that was come unto 




(0) 


him; but he tock the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man 
that was come to him. 

DAVID, (very angry.) As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done 
this thing shall surely die. And he shall restore the lamb four-fold, be¬ 
cause he did this thing. 

NATHAN. Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I 
anointed thee king over Israel, and i delivered thee cut of the hand of 
Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives in¬ 
to thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if 
that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such 
and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of 
the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite 
with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife. Now therefore 
the sword shall never depart from thine he use, beer use thou hast de¬ 
spised me. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will rake up evil against 
thee out of thine own house. 

DAVID. I have sinned against the Lord. 

NATHAN. Thou hast tried thine own case, condemned thine own self, 
and judged thyself worthy of death. But, the Lord bath put away thy 
sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast giv¬ 
en great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child al¬ 
so that is born unto thee shall surely die. 

(Exit Nathan.) 

DAVID, (to himself.) “The sword shall not depart out of thine house. 
I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. The child 
shall surely die.” It is a stern sentence the Lord hath passed upon me. 
But great was mine iniquity and great must needs be the penalty attach¬ 
ed to it. God is a just God. What I have dene cannot he undone; but 
what I can do I will do. I will in everything be a husband unto Bath- 
sheba, a father unto my children, a king unto my people and the ser¬ 
vant of the Most High. 

(Herald answers summons at door and speaks to king.) 

HERALD. A messenger from the king’s house-hold. 

DAVID. Let him see the king. 

(Enter messenger in haste—approahes and kneels.) 

MESSENGER. The child of Bathsheha and David hath taken sudden¬ 
ly sick. The physicians of the royal household have declared his case 
hopeless. 

(Shocked.) 

DAVID, (to messenger.) Thou art excused from the king’s presence. 
(King paces throne.) (To attendants.) Let every man go out from my 
presence. ( r l hey hesitate.) Wait not on the order of your going, but 
go at once. 

(Exit attendants—save Herald who keeps the door.) 

DAVID. The words of the prophet have indeed com e to pass. How 
great must have been my sin to bring upon me from the Lord suffering 
so intense. If this be only the beginning of my troubles what will 
the end thereof be? (Comes to a decision.) I will gird my loins with 
sack-cloth; will wear sack-cloth upon my head; will humbly bow myself 
to tbe earth, and will last and pi ay; for, peradventure, God’s mercy 



_______ m 

will outweigh his judgment, and he will yet spare to'chiW.HiOP^vidoFlP^ 
seends throne, ruts off crown and robes, girds him^/ with T sftckr£lp£h, 
etc., 1st. kneels, 2nd. sits, 3rd. kneels with face to floor. and 4tiv, falls* 
prone upon the floor.) (Enter a counsellor and speaks to David,) 

COUNSELLOR. O David, all night hast thou lain prone upon thp earth. 
Arise, wash thyself and eat. Behold we have prepared thy morning meal 
and provided fcr the e savoury food and thy favorite dishes. 

DAVID. Disturb me not, my friend. What is food and sleep to i&e? 
when I have sinned against Cod and my child is dying in consequence 
of my deed. Gladly would I perish here, if by so doing I could atone 
for my sin and save my child. (Exit counsellor, enter another.) 

COUNSELLOR. O king, two nights and days hast thou lain upon the 
earth and hath neither eaten nor slept. Thou art weary and famished. 
Arise and partake of the food which we have prepared for thee. 

DAVID. Hunger were a pleasant sensaticn if by starving I could un¬ 
do what I have done. I will not hearken unto thee. (Exit counsellor and 
enter 2 supporters.) 

SUPPORTERS. Cive ear unto us o king and hearken unto our voice. 
Jcab is waging successful war against Rabbah and the affairs of Israel 
require thy attention. 

DAVID. I am engaged in a greater battle than that. The king’s sin 
is a matter of greater consequence than the taking of a city. 

SLTPPORTER. (other one.) Eehold, O king, full five days hast thou 
been here in this position. Is there aught we can do fcr thee? 

DAVID. Man is helpless to aid me. 

SUPPORTER. Shall we not call the king’s musician and bid him 

play to soothe the troubled spirits of the king? 

DAVID. Music cannot mend a broken heart and cleanse a guilty soul, 

SUPPORTER. Shall we not send for Nathan, the prophet, that he 
might counsel thee and comfort thee. 

DAVID. Nay. This is a matter between God and me, and here I 
shall remain until this matter hath been settled, or death hath ended 
my sufferings. 

1st. SUPPORTER. Then we will remain with thee. 

(They take positions by David. Enter messenger excited, rushes past 
Herald who trys to stop him, hurries toward David, but is met by sup¬ 
porters who stop him and enquire his errand.) 

SUPPORTER. What is thine errand? 

MESSENGER. The king’s child is dead. 

SUPPORTERS. Speak softly, that the king might not hear thee. Be¬ 
hold while the child was yet alive, we speak unto him, and for seven 
days he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex him¬ 
self, if we tell him that the child is dead? 

(David seeing them whispering, perceives the truth and speaks.) 

DAVID. Is the child dead? 

SUPPORTER. He is dead. 

DAVID. I will then arise, wash and anoint myself, change my gar¬ 
ments and come into the house of the Lord to worship him; attei 





( 8 ) 


which, I will eat food in mine own house. - 

SUPPORTER. What is this thing that thou hast done? Thou didst 
fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child is 
dead, thou dost rise and eat bread. 

DAVID. While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept; for I said, 
who can tell whether God will be gracious unto me, that the child may 
live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him 
back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 

(Exit David supported by supporters and followed By others.) 

PART II. 

(Enter Herald, advances to center of floor and speaks.) 

HERALD. Behold the king cometh. O ye men of Israel prepare to re¬ 
ceive your king. 

(Enter David and attendants: who acclaim him kneeling.) 

HERALD and ATTENDANTS. All hail to David, king of Israel. 

(All assume their stations.) 

HERALD, (having answered summons.) A messenger who carries a 
message to the king. 

DAVID. Admit him to the preserce of the king. 

(Enter messenger who salutes king and speaks.) 

MESSENGER. Absalom, thy son, hath killed Amnon, thy son, with the 
sword; because Amnon hath betrayed Tamar, Absalom’s sister; and Ab¬ 
salom hath fled. 

DAVID, (messenger departs.) Did not the prophet also say unto me, 
“The sword shall never depart from thine house;” and hath it not come 
to pass? Alas, what confusion I have wrought upon mine own house¬ 
hold. Mine anger will burn and wax exceeding hot against Absalom until 
it hath consumed him—Nay, I cannot do ought to harm the boy. Though 
he hath sinned, yet is he my .son and I love him. I must needs for¬ 
give him this wrong, even as I pray God to forgive me my transgression. 
(Enter Herald who speaks.) 

HERALD. A messenger who conveys news to the king. 

DAVID. Admit him to the presence of the king. 

(Enter messenger who salutes king and speaks.) 

MESSENGER. Absalom thy son hath established himself at Hebron 
as king of Israel, and the hearts of the men of Israel are (gone) after 
Absalom. 

DAVID. Go thou and send joab, captain of the king’s army, unto 
me. I will speak with him about this matter. 

(Exit messenger. Herald answers summons and admits Joah.) 

(Joab approaches king and salutes. King addresses Joab.) 

DAVID. Knowest thou aught about this report that Absalom hath es¬ 
tablished himself at Hebron, and declared himself king of Israel? 

JOAB. It is true, my Lord the king; and the men of Israel are flock¬ 
ing to his standard. 

(O that I had not sinned. Alas, that God took me from the sheep 
cote and my father’s house.) 

DAVID. Woe is David. Did not Nathan, the servant of God, also 



( 9 ) 


say, “I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house?" and it is 
not come to pass this day? (To joab.) What woulds’t thou advise me 
to do? I am unnerved and cannot think. 

JOAB. Thou art safer in flight than in Jerusalem. O king. 

DA\ TD. Whither shall we go—myself, my wives and little ones? 

JOAB. We will hide thee in the land beyond Jordan and then return 
to fight and destroy this usurper. 

DA\ ID. As thou sayest, so be it. All who are on my side, let them 
come after me. 

(David departs, attended by two supporters, two others, and his en¬ 
tire guard. Others remain seated and as king departs speak.) 

OTHER ATTENDANTS. We would have Absalom rule over us. Long 
live Absalom, king of Israel and of Judah. 

DAVID. Even Judah hath reviled m e, and Jerusalem hath welcomed 
the usurper. 

(David and attendants advance slowly to other end of room. Midway, 
from opposite side of room Shimei curses David and stones him. Guards 
cover David with their shields.) 

SHiMEI. Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of 
Belial: the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of 
Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the 
kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken 
in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. 

GUARD, (not Joab.) Why should this dead dog curse my lord the 
king? Let me go over I pray thee, and take off his head. 

DAVID. Behold my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my • 
life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone and 
let him curse—for the Lord hath said unto him, curse David. No great¬ 
er insult can come to the king than to be cursed by a peasant. Cer¬ 
tainly the Lord can humble me no lower and it may be the Lord will 
requite me good for his cursing this day. 

(They proceed to Vice Grand’s station and take Positions there.) (jo¬ 
ab, Abishai and Ittai stand before David while back of them is lined up 
the rest of the guard.) 

JOAB. Now that thou and thy family are safe, Ittai, Abishai and 
thy servant Joab will lead thine army against Absalom. 

DAVID. I will surely go forth with you myself. 

JOAB. Thou shalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not 
care for us; neither if half of us di e , vill they care for us; but now 
thou art worth 10,000 of us. 

DAVID. What seemeth you best I will do. Deal gently for my sake 
with the young man, even with Absalom. 

(Exit guard to ante-room.) (One of attendants as watchman speaks.) 

WATCHMAN. Behold I see a man running alone. 

DAVID. If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. 

WATCHMAN. Behold, another man running alone. 

DAVID. He also bringeth tidings. 




(10) 


WATCHMAN. Me tliinkelli tile running of the foremost is like the 
running of Ahimaaz, son of Zadok. 

DAVID. He is a good man and cometh with good tidings. 

(Enter Ahimaaz who kneels before king and speaks.) 

AHIMAAZ. All is well. Blessed be the Lord thy God which hath de¬ 
livered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 

DAVID. Is the young man Absalom safe? 

AHIMAAZ. When Joab sent the king’s servant, I saw a great tumult, 
but I knew not what it was. 

DAVID. Turn aside and stand here. (Ahimaaz obeys.) 

(Enter Cushi another messenger—kneels and speaks.) 

CUSHI. Tidings, my lord the king; for the Lord hath avenged thee 
this day of all them that rose up against thee. 

DAVID. Is the young man Absalom safe? 

CUSHI. The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against 
thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 

(Enter Joab and guards who array themselves before David.) 

(David falls upon knees at altar before him and speaks.) 

DAVID. O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom. Would God 
I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son. O my son Absalom, 
O Absalom, my son, my son. 

JOAB. (advancing and angry.) Thou hast shamed this day the faces of 
all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of 
thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives in that thou 
lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends; for this day I perceive, that 
if Absalom had lived, and all we had died, then it had pleased thee 
well. Now therefore arise, go forth and speak comfortably unto thy ser¬ 
vants; for I swear, if thou wilt not go forth, there will not tarry one 
with thee this night; and that will be worse unto thee than all the 
evil which befell thee from thy youth until now. 

(The king arises and is seated. Guards take up position before him. 
Approach a messenger from other end of room.) 

MESSENGER. The king saved us out of the hands of our enemies, 
and he delivered us out of the hands of the Philistines, and now he is 
fled out of the land for Absalom. And Absalom whom we anointed ov¬ 
er us is dead in battle. Judah and all Israel saith, return thou, and 
all thy servants. 

DAVID. I will return. (Messenger returns.) 

(David attended by guards, etc., advances to other end of room. Are 
met by attendants who did not follow him, who kneel on both sides as 
lie approaches and speak.) 

ATTENDANTS. All hail to David, the Lord’s anointed. 

(David on throne. All attendants kneel and speak.) 

ATTENDANTS. All hail to David, king of Israel. 

(All resume positions.) 

PART III. 

Draw curtain here. 




( 11 ) 


(Next scene shows king an old man.) 

(Herald answering summons, advances and speaks.) 

HERALD. Nathan th e prophet desires to speak with the king. 

DAVID. Admit him to the presence of the king. 

(Enter Nathan, advances toward David and speaks.) 

NATHAN. My lord O king hast thou said, “Adonijah shall reign after 
me, and he shall sit up my throne?” For he is gone down this day, 
nnd hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath 
called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host and the priest; 
and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king 
Adonijah. But me, even me thy servant and thy servant Solomon, hath 
he not called. 

DAVID. Even in mine old age the judgment of th e Lord, declared by 
thine own lips in the days of my strength, followeth hard after me, 
and mine own household even yet risetli up against me to pervert my 
plans. Solomon shall be king in my stead and shall rule over Israel. 
Take ye Zadok the priest and Benai a h the son of Jehoiada, and cause 
Solomon to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon, and 
anoint him there king over Israel, and blow ye with the trumpet, and 
say, God save King Solomon. Then ye shall come up after him, that he 
may come and sit upon niy throne. 

(Exit Nathan. Enter Nathan with Solomon.) 

(Solomon kneels at center of floor. David speaks.) 

DAVID. Come hither my son. (Solomon approaches throne and kneels 
at David’s feet.) 

« 

DAVID. Solomon, my sen, I go the way of all the earth, he thou 
strong therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the charge of the 
Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his com¬ 
mandments and his judgments, as it is written in the law of Moses, that 
thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whither soever thou turn- 
est thyself, that the Lord may continue his word which he spake con¬ 
cerning me, saying, if thy children take heed to thy way, to walk before 

me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not 

fail thee, said he, a man on the throne of Israel. Arise, my son, and 

stand upon thy feet. (David removes crown from his own head and 
crowns Solomon.) Ascend thy father’s throne, O Solomon. (Solomon 
obeys.) Thou art now king over lsr a el and Judah in my stead. 

ATTENDANTS, (kneeling.) Hail to Solomon king of Israel, (people 
stand. A counsellor speaks to Solomon.) 

COUNSELLOR. As th e Lord hath been with my Lord the king, even 
so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne 
of my lord king David. 

ATTENDANTS. Amen. Long live king Solomon. 

(Exit David, Solomon and attendants.) 

THE END. 







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